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How an English Energy Crisis Helped Create Champagne

55 points by skibz 7y ago

dmix 7y ago
I absolutely love that first picture of the girl wearing the iron mask. An early example of worker safety, in interesting contrast to the very nice clothes she's wearing. Plus the specially manufactured iron face gear to protect from broken bottles, or possibly just a fencing mask, still I love the early 20th century industrialism of it.
- Nasrudith 7y ago
  It seems to imply a "two to three other pairs of clothes and a designated sunday best" sort of clothing standard for most due to the expense. Apparently according to some sources more covering undergarments of sorts including shiffs were worn to protect the outer outfit from skin oils and changed more daily, and also more easily washable. Since washing was also far more labor intensive.
chadlavi 7y ago
There's an episode of the excellent late-70s documentary Connections series 1 that talks about this as well
leoc 7y ago
When, if at all, did the glassmaker switch from coal to coke? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_(fuel)#Britain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_(fuel)#Britain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_modern_glass_in_England#Change_to_coal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_modern_glass_in_England#... ?
- NeedMoreTea 7y ago
  Not sure they did, though perhaps later on after the industrial revolution. Early English coal for glassmaking, notably including Ravenscroft inventing lead crystal a little later in the century used sea coal: Coal with unique properties that washed up on beaches, mainly in the NE of England and East coast of Scotland. It had several other uses. Ships would transport it south daily. It burned far hotter than most regular mined coal, and was quite bituminous with very little ash. Not quite sure when it was first adopted as they discovered it burned hotter, though it was definitely part of the step forward of bottle production. Not sure when it was crowded out by other coals, as sea coal was relatively limited quantity, either. (Note there were one or two NE English inland seams of sea coal, with the unique properties, so descriptions can sometimes seem confusing). Some photos of the industry's last death throes (apologies for DM link, but as always they include lots of pics): https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2309040/The-twilight-seacoaling-Pictures-capture-dying-industry-men-scrape-coal-washed-sea.html https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2309040/The-twiligh... Edit: BBC page and prog referencing its use in bottles (sea coal turns up surprisingly few references, and Wikipedia describes it incorrectly): https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/RG2DjvRx861cLSWtwccvjY/10-wondrous-facts-about-the-wine-glass https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/RG2DjvRx861cLSWtwc...
  - ptah 7y ago
    side note: in typical DM fashion they blame the EU for the decline in sea coaling

55 points by skibz 7y ago

dmix 7y ago

I absolutely love that first picture of the girl wearing the iron mask. An early example of worker safety, in interesting contrast to the very nice clothes she's wearing. Plus the specially manufactured iron face gear to protect from broken bottles, or possibly just a fencing mask, still I love the early 20th century industrialism of it.

Nasrudith 7y ago
It seems to imply a "two to three other pairs of clothes and a designated sunday best" sort of clothing standard for most due to the expense. Apparently according to some sources more covering undergarments of sorts including shiffs were worn to protect the outer outfit from skin oils and changed more daily, and also more easily washable. Since washing was also far more labor intensive.

chadlavi 7y ago

There's an episode of the excellent late-70s documentary Connections series 1 that talks about this as well

leoc 7y ago

When, if at all, did the glassmaker switch from coal to coke? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_(fuel)#Britain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_(fuel)#Britain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_modern_glass_in_England#Change_to_coal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_modern_glass_in_England#... ?

NeedMoreTea 7y ago
Not sure they did, though perhaps later on after the industrial revolution. Early English coal for glassmaking, notably including Ravenscroft inventing lead crystal a little later in the century used sea coal: Coal with unique properties that washed up on beaches, mainly in the NE of England and East coast of Scotland. It had several other uses. Ships would transport it south daily. It burned far hotter than most regular mined coal, and was quite bituminous with very little ash. Not quite sure when it was first adopted as they discovered it burned hotter, though it was definitely part of the step forward of bottle production. Not sure when it was crowded out by other coals, as sea coal was relatively limited quantity, either. (Note there were one or two NE English inland seams of sea coal, with the unique properties, so descriptions can sometimes seem confusing). Some photos of the industry's last death throes (apologies for DM link, but as always they include lots of pics): https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2309040/The-twilight-seacoaling-Pictures-capture-dying-industry-men-scrape-coal-washed-sea.html https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2309040/The-twiligh... Edit: BBC page and prog referencing its use in bottles (sea coal turns up surprisingly few references, and Wikipedia describes it incorrectly): https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/RG2DjvRx861cLSWtwccvjY/10-wondrous-facts-about-the-wine-glass https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/RG2DjvRx861cLSWtwc...
- ptah 7y ago
  side note: in typical DM fashion they blame the EU for the decline in sea coaling